'Oil City Confidential'

[Rob Noxious]

...is the title of a film coming out in October. It's about Canvey's finest, Dr. Feelgood, and has been made by Julien Temple. Apparently, Wilko, Sparko and The Big Figure have all been very much involved in it and it charts the rise of the band through their 'pub rock' years in London to the end of '76, when they were eclipsed by the punk rock acts they'd inspired. For old-timers like me it should be a real treat...

Here's something that isn't in the film but relates to a testimony of appreciation for the late Lee Brilleaux and the band:-

"I used to love The Grand... I remember seeing Lee Brilleaux in there every now and then. He used that bar on the right as you go in. One of the greatest white r'n'b singers... in your near-local! "Rivvum 'n' booze," that's what he called it, the stuff the Feelgoods did... and now when I hear people down here talk about 'R & B' these days, it seems we're talking a totally different language... give me the 'R & B' of 'the Essex Delta,' the 'Canvey Sound,' the muddy music of sweaty, back-street bars with some screaming guitar and harmonica... ah, some days I can even smell that sound!"

(from 'In A Broken Dream' - a pop novel)

 

[Rob Noxious]

BUMP...for Yogi, on here currently & a fellow fan of 'The Grand.' Maybe the Feelgoods too?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Totally off-topic but I was (sort of) mates with a son of one of them (don't ask me which one). Haven't seen him in years.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Totally off-topic but I was (sort of) mates with a son of one of them (don't ask me which one). Haven't seen him in years.

Just nice to have a response, Paulie!:clap:

Mine's also off-topic, but there is a link...just learned that Willy DeVille died recently. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the band Mink De Ville, probably best known for their single 'Spanish Stroll.' An original and under-rated band, I saw them support the Feelgoods at The Kursaal in October, 1977.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Bit before my time Rob, and I never embraced Dr Feelgood etc, with the same fervour as I did with The Clash, Pistols etc.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Bit before my time Rob, and I never embraced Dr Feelgood etc, with the same fervour as I did with The Clash, Pistols etc.

The Clash were the band I loved at the time, but I had a high regard for the Feelgoods ever since seeing Wilko do his crazy, bug-eyed duck walk and Telecaster-as-machine gun routine back at The Kursaal on Xmas Eve '76. That and because they were local, also Lee for his great 'man of the people' bloke-ishness. It was only later that I realised what a great band the originals were, with a rythmn section as tight as Ron Martin's wallet...

 

[Mad Cyril]

Preferred 'dreaming of Memphis' by Creme Brulee myself.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Talking of 'Stupidity'...

Preferred 'dreaming of Memphis' by Creme Brulee myself.

The League of Gentlemen's house-band?! Astonishing...

..anyway, I had 'one of those moments' in the van today playing an old compilation where I don't know what's coming on next and when the live version of 'Going Back Home' (the opening track on the 'Southend Side' of 'Stupidity') came on, it fair made me swerve in excitement on the A30. Luckily I'm not alone in this retrospective - saw an article by Mark Radcliffe the other day where he declares a love for 'the Wilko era Dr. Feelgood.' There's two of us at least! :)

 

[Crawliano]

Don't forget Bob Marley and his nod to them in "Punky Reggae Party", it's always warm to hear him give a "shout" to one of my fellow Islanders. :-)

 

[Rob Noxious]

Don't forget Bob Marley and his nod to them in "Punky Reggae Party", it's always warm to hear him give a "shout" to one of my fellow Islanders. :-)

Nice one dc! Amazingly, that track was the one before 'GBH' on the compilation I did. I like to get little links in where I can & that was it...what was the line, "...The Jam, The Damned, The Clash... Maytals will be there, Dr. Feelgood too!" :clap:

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Just nice to have a response, Paulie!:clap:

...just learned that Willy DeVille died recently. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the band Mink De Ville, probably best known for their single 'Spanish Stroll.' An original and under-rated band, I saw them support the Feelgoods at The Kursaal in October, 1977.

RIP. He played here at the Pueblo Espanyol a couple of years back as support for Robert Cray.Excellent gig- full on R and B and better than RC's set.

 

[Rob Noxious]

RIP. He played here at the Pueblo Espanyol a couple of years back as support for Robert Cray.Excellent gig- full on R and B and better than RC's set.

Strange, isn't it? Some of these bands/performers never get the credit they deserve. I love the 'feel' of that MDV sound. I read that he was from Spanish Harlem (which would explain 'Spanish Stroll') and the music feels soulful and genuine. Like the Feelgoods, they were real - not like the corporate fakes we have to endure nowadays...grrrrr! :cricko:

 

[Firestorm]

I remmber seeing the feelgoods by mistake in 79, Went to Crocs to see The Records thought the price on the door was a bit steep and it was a bit busier than I expected by hey... They announced "DRr Feelgood are now in the building" and as everyone else went wild I turned to my mate and said "so F****g what, where are the Records"
The Feelgoods came on and were brilliant, itthe gig was half of a live album released later (Hemel Hempstead was the other half I think)
Never did get to see the Records, they cancelled the next Crocs gig

 

[Rob Noxious]

I remmber seeing the feelgoods by mistake in 79, Went to Crocs to see The Records thought the price on the door was a bit steep and it was a bit busier than I expected by hey... They announced "DRr Feelgood are now in the building" and as everyone else went wild I turned to my mate and said "so F****g what, where are the Records"
The Feelgoods came on and were brilliant, itthe gig was half of a live album released later (Hemel Hempstead was the other half I think)
Never did get to see the Records, they cancelled the next Crocs gig

I was there too! February '79, wasn't it? 'Gypie' Mayo was brilliant that night. Didn't The Records do a song called 'Wickford Is So Boring'? :unsure:

 

[Rob Noxious]

Was reminded somehow via the 'collective unconscious' in the early hours of Gypie Mayo's 'interview' for the band after Wilko left. After he played a few numbers with them, they took him to one of the Canvey pubs (Admiral Jellicoe, I think) and assessed his capacity to withstand one of their sessions. Fantastic! :clap:

 

[Firestorm]

I was there too! February '79, wasn't it? 'Gypie' Mayo was brilliant that night. Didn't The Records do a song called 'Wickford Is So Boring'? :unsure:

Grinder did Wickford is so Boring

 

[Rob Noxious]

Grinder did Wickford is so Boring

Thanks for this, FS...:)

 

[Rob Noxious]

The story of Dr Feelgood, four men in cheap suits who crashed out of Canvey Island in the early '70's, sandpapered the face of rock'n'roll, leaving all that came before a burnt-out ruin - CANVEY ISLAND NOIR ...

'Oil City Confidential' is out tomorrow!

 

[Rob Noxious]

The story of Dr Feelgood, four men in cheap suits who crashed out of Canvey Island in the early '70's, sandpapered the face of rock'n'roll, leaving all that came before a burnt-out ruin - CANVEY ISLAND NOIR ...

'Oil City Confidential' is out tomorrow!

Wilko Johnson

"It was an emotional evening...and Thanks to all involved..a great night was had... "(7 hours ago - just copied from FB)...

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

...is the title of a film coming out in October. It's about Canvey's finest, Dr. Feelgood, and has been made by Julien Temple. Apparently, Wilko, Sparko and The Big Figure have all been very much involved in it and it charts the rise of the band through their 'pub rock' years in London to the end of '76, when they were eclipsed by the punk rock acts they'd inspired. For old-timers like me it should be a real treat...<

Thanks for the tipoff Shrimpero:)
Queuing up to get in for Billy Bragg here on Thursday night I was given a leaflet advertising a forthcoming music film festival here in Barna.
Oil City will be showing here on Nov 6th and 7th and guess what-- Julian Temple will be around for a Q/A after the Saturday night showing.I suspect I'll have to clear my diary for that.;)
BTW BB was excellent.Name checked a fan wearing a Clash Tshirt and spoke at length about the London RAR march and Clash concert in Victoria Park back in 1978 which he reckoned first turned him on to politics.Very upbeat about England's midweek win and Crouch's goals too!